Apple tree: Caudle cultivar

ABSTRACT

A new variety of apple tree of unknown parentage, bearing apples of exceptional shelf life and keeping quality, exhibiting distinctive fruit coloration and shape, a long stem, large leaves, and unused bore shoot and bud extension.

BACKGROUND AND ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE TREE

The subject plant is a new and distinct variety of apple tree that wasdiscovered as a chance seedling of unknown parentage in the orchard ofDarrel and Marilynn Caudle in Dryden, Wash. The original tree was foundin a block of Red Delicious apple trees with Golden Deliciouspollenizers in the same orchard. This new variety has been asexuallyreproduced, by bark graft and budding, and fruited through threesuccessive generations in the discoverers' orchard. The characteristicsof this variety have remained the same through three generations. Thevarietal name "Caudle Cultivar" is proposed for the subject apple tree.

SUMMARY OF THE TREE

This new variety of apple tree is distinguished from other knownvarieties by its fruit, which has a color pattern of red striping over agreenish-yellow background. The green-yellow ground color is identified,using Ridgeway's Color Standards and Nomenclature, as Plate V, colornumber 27 GY, Tone F Pale Green Yellow. The stripe color pattern variesbetween Nopal Red (Plate 1, color number 3 O-R, Tone I) to Ox Blood Red(Plate 1, color number 1 Red, Tone K). The lenticels on the apple arenumerous, of medium size, the characteristically colored Sea Foam Yellow(Plate XXXI, color number 25 YGY, Tone F). The fruit generally resemblesa Red Delicious apple in shape but is more roundish to conical; inaddition, the five points, or lobes, are not as prominent as those of aRed Delicious Apple. The fruit stem of the new variety is slender andunusually long, typically one and one-half to one and three-quartersinches in length. These distinctive characteristics are all shown inFIG. 1.

This new variety is further distinguishable by its large leaves. Asshown in FIG. 2, the leaf is larger than those of Red Delicious andGolden Delicious leaves.

This new variety of apple tree also exhibits an unusual growth of thebore shoot of leaves from the central column or pirostele that supportsthe flowers (and later the fruit). The bore shoot (shown at the arrow inFIG. 3) undergoes a distinctive extension in length during the bloomingseason. Bore shoots of this new variety at full bloom average two andone-half inches in length; while Red Delicious and golden Delicious boreshoots average two inches in length and one and one-quarter inches inlength, respectively. FIG. 4 shows the bore shoot of this new variety asthe apple matures.

This new variety of apple tree also exhibits an unusual bud extension.The bud extension, that is, the seasonal growth from the previous year'sfruit bud to the principal flower stem, is elongated at full bloom inthe subject tree (three-quarters to one inch) as compared to RedDelicious (one-quarter inch) and Golden Delicious (one-quarter toone-half inch) trees. Representative photographs of the bud extensions(taken approximately 80 days after full bloom) are shown in FIGS. 5A(the new variety), 5B (Red Delicious), and 5C (Golden Delicious).

Additional features of the subject apple trees are described in detailbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows three typical specimens of mature fruit from the CaudleTree positioned such that the blossom end, stem end, and side view arerevealed to reflect fruit shape.

FIG. 2 depicts representative leaves from "Red Delicious," "YellowDelicious," and "Caudle," respectively.

FIG. 3 illustrates the distinctive bore shoot of this tree in earlyseason.

FIG. 4 shows the bore shoot at about mid growing season.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C compare the fruit and stems of "Caudle," "RedDelicious," and "Yellow Delicious" at about 80 days into the growingseason after full bloom.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE "CAUDLE" TREE Tree

Growth form: This new variety of apple tree has been observed growing onthe following root stocks: seedling root stock, EMLA 111, and Malling 9(NAKB 337). The subject trees are vigorous and tall, with a spreading,open growth form. Tree size of the original specimen at age 10 years isabout 11 feet wide and 14 feet tall. Average terminal growth each yearis approximately 14 to 20 inches. The trunk is medium (neither stockynor slender), with smooth bark. The branches are medium (as opposed toslender or thick) and generally straight. The subject tree does notexhibit a propensity to form spurs; the spur branching characteristicsare similar to a standard Golden Delicious tree. The bark of young treesis not a dark as that of Red Delicious trees but darker than the bark ofGolden Delicious trees of comparable age. The color of one-year dormantwood is Dark Corinthian Purple (Plate XXXVIII-m). The mature bark ischaracteristically dull. Tree lenticels are numerous and of medium size.Lenticels on three-year-old wood are more horizontal than those on astandard Golden Delicious tree, which has lenticels that are more roundin shape. The straight branchles tend to be medium-jointed with somezigzagging tendency observed. The epidermis is smooth and dull.Internodes are of medium length, about one to one and one-half inches,similar to standard Golden Delicious trees. Crotch angles are from about30 to about 45 degrees from vertical.

Leaves: Buds are medium in size and length, and pointed (similar toGolden Delicious). Leaf scars are prominent, similar to Bisbee RedDelicious trees. The ovate leaves are distictively large: approximagelyfive and one-half inches in length and two and three-quarters inch wide.The leaves are thick, medium green in color (Ackermann's Green, PlateXVIII-k), and smooth. The color of the primary vein on the front side ofthe leaf is Light Grape (Plate XLI-b). The leaf margin is coarselyserrated. The petiole is of medium length (about one and one-half toabout one and three-quarters inches) and thickness. The tomentum of theleaf blades are less pubescent than standard Golden Delicious leaves,and extremely less pubescent than Bisbee Red Delicious leaves.

Flowers: The subject tree is characterized by large, showy flowers (FIG.3). The closed flower is pink on the outside of the petals but opens toa mostly white flower. The flowers are fertile (i.e., self-fertile andwill cross pollinate) and are generally distributed uniformly on thetree. If seed number is reduced without pollination, correspondinglysize, type-length diameter ratio is affected, resulting in rounderfruit. The flower clusters are loosely arranged. The date of bloom istypically the same as adjacent Golden Delicious trees and follows thatof adjacent Red Delicious trees by one day or so.

This new variety is a hardy, productive, and regular bearer. The newvariety is more productive than Bisbee Red Delicious, and equal tostandard Golden Delicious trees. Its susceptibilities to insects anddiseases are similar to Red and Golden Delicious apple trees. The treeis not mildew resistant.

Fruit

The apples hang very well on the tree and typically ripen 155 to 165days after full bloom. Thinning is required during heavy bloom years toproduce premium-sized fruit. Thinning is required to produce uniformcolor and appearance. The apple of this new variety has less acid thanstandard Golden Delicious apples, and more acid than Bisbee RedDelicious apples, at optimum long-term controlled atmosphere harvestlevels:

    ______________________________________                                                 Pressure  Soluble Solids                                                                            Acid                                           ______________________________________                                        Caudle     16#         12          .400                                       Golden Del.                                                                              16#         11          .500                                       Bisbee Del.                                                                              17#         10.3        .270                                       ______________________________________                                    

Average fruit size at harvest with adequate thinning is 3.23 inches indiamter and 3.75 inches in length. The calyx basin averages 1/2 inch indepth and 3/4 inch in width. The fruit has a closed calyx, and the calyxtube is small and long. The cavity at the stem end is approximately oneinch deep and 3/4 inch wide and is symmetrical. The stem length averages1.45 inches. The cone area is medium in size and the halves are equal.

The apples are of best quality. The apples begin to take on stripes inmid-September and these improve until mid-October harvest. Comparableharvest dates are: Standard Golden Delicious harvest, September 10-20;Red Delicious harvest, Sep. 24-October 4; and Caudle Cultivar harvest,October 7-25. No. water core has been observed. Normal fruit size willaverage size 80-88, using USDA fruit grades. The apple skin is smooth,dull and of medium thickness and toughness. The apple bloom is verylight. Skin is tougher than standard Golden Delicious, but not as toughas Bisbee Red Delicious. The basin of the fruit is more pointed thanstandard Golden Delicious, but not as Bisbee Red Delicious. The cavityis deeper and narower than standard Golden Delicious and Bisbee RedDelicious. The flesh is white, firm, crisp, and juicy, with acharacteristic subacid, aromatic flavor. The fruit is less susceptibleto russet than standard Golden Delicious. The shelf life and keepingquality of the apple are exceptional and greatly exceed those of bothRed Delicious and Golden Delicious apples. The apple is dessert quality,comparable with Red Delicious and Golden Delicious, and has a longerstorage capability.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of apple tree substantially asshown and described.